SMART establishes 50- percent discount fare policy for low-income riders

A low-income fare policy giving riders with qualifying incomes a 50-percent discount on train fares has been approved by the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District (SMART) Board of Directors at a Feb. 5 meeting.

Since the launch of passenger service in 2017, the SMART Board of Directors has directed staff to investigate ways to provide fare discounts to low-income riders. Now, an opportunity has risen with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC) Clipper START Low Income Fare Program, which will launch as a pilot in Spring 2020. At the meeting, the board authorized staff to submit a formal request to MTC to participate in the Clipper START Program.

“SMART is part of the fabric of the North Bay and we need to continue to make access to the train affordable for all residents. With transportation costs being a sizable expense in a family’s budget, I’m pleased we now have the opportunity to offer a discounted fare for people with low incomes,” said SMART Board Chair Eric Lucan.

The Clipper START program is designed to address the concern that transportation is a significant portion of Bay Area household budgets. Cubic, the agency that manages the Clipper transit-fare card program, will serve as income eligibility verifier and perform application intake, review and approval as well as customer service functions for Clipper START program participants.

“Being able to offer our riders with lower incomes a discount fare will increase access to reliable transit services connecting people to jobs, schools and city centers; which in other words is access to opportunity,” said Board Member Shirlee Zane.